LASU to Graduate 20,604 Students as Olatunji-Bello Announces Final Convocation

 

By oluwaseyi fadoro 

Lagos State University (LASU) is set to graduate a total of 20,604 students at its 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press conference held at the Senate Chamber of the Babatunde Raji Fashola Senate Building, LASU Main Campus, Ojo.

The Vice-Chancellor described the combined convocation as a historic milestone for the institution and particularly significant for her, as it would be the final convocation ceremony she would preside over as Vice-Chancellor after five years in office.

According to her, the university will graduate students across diploma, first-degree and higher-degree programmes, with 2024/2025 producing 947 diploma graduates and 7,621 first-degree graduates.

For the 2025/2026 academic session, she said 44 students graduated from diploma programmes, while 8,653 students completed various first-degree programmes.

A total of 3,383 postgraduate students will also graduate from the two academic sessions, comprising 618 postgraduate diploma holders, 1,508 academic master's degree graduates, 900 professional master's degree graduates, 238 PhD graduates and 119 professional doctoral degree graduates.

Professor Olatunji-Bello announced Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management as the overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 academic session, with a CGPA of 4.96 and First Class Honours.

For the 2025/2026 session, Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering emerged as the overall best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.97 and First Class Honours.

The Vice-Chancellor also announced that the university would confer honorary doctorate degrees on three distinguished Nigerians in recognition of their contributions to national development, business, scholarship and humanity.

They are Mr Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, who will receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Entrepreneurship, Finance and Management; Mrs Harriet-Ann Omobola (Bola) Adesola, who will receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Corporate Finance and Governance; and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, who will receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Entrepreneurship, Industrial and Human Capital Development.

She further disclosed that the university would elevate Professor Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye and herself, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, to the rank of Distinguished Professor in recognition of their contributions to teaching, research, mentorship and the advancement of knowledge.

The convocation activities will commence with the staff sports competition on Wednesday, August 12, followed by the inaugural Staff Celebration Day on Thursday, August 13.

On Friday, August 14, the university will hold its Coconut Breaking and Cultural Day at the main gate, followed by the Convocation Jumat Service.

The conferment of Diplomas, First Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Master's Degrees in Engineering and Agricultural Sciences will take place on Monday, August 17, at the Olatunji Bello Auditorium, Epe Campus.

The Convocation Lecture, titled “From LASU to the World: Harnessing the Nigerian Diaspora as the 7th Region for National Development,” will be delivered on Tuesday, August 18, by Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).

Honourable Tasir Wale Raji, Member of the House of Representatives representing Epe Federal Constituency, will chair the occasion.

The conferment of professional and academic doctoral degrees, as well as honorary doctorate degrees, will follow on Wednesday, August 19. The ceremonies will officially conclude with a Special Convocation Thanksgiving Service at the University Chapel of Light on Sunday, August 23.

Beyond the convocation, Professor Olatunji-Bello highlighted several achievements recorded by LASU during the past year, including the approval of 17 new academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), professional accreditation of Chemical and Process Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programmes by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and full accreditation for several other programmes.

She also cited the commissioning of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Library Complex, which she described as the largest and most digitalised university library in West Africa.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, LASU also emerged as Nigeria's most subscribed university for the second consecutive year, attracting more than 84,000 first-choice applications in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The university also retained its position as the Best University in West Africa in the Universitas Indonesia GreenMetric World University Rankings for the fourth consecutive year.

Professor Olatunji-Bello highlighted other achievements, including the establishment of a Tier III Data Centre, approval of a ₦3 billion TETFund Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences, and the commencement of construction of a 1,500-bed student hostel under a public-private partnership valued at about ₦4 billion.

She disclosed that the university had also secured Federal Government approval for a 15-megawatt Independent Power Project designed to improve electricity supply and reduce energy costs.

In research and innovation, two LASU students, Faaiz Abdul-Liadi and Taiwo Goodness Ukwedje, secured consecutive ₦50 million venture capital grants in 2026 in a highly competitive national programme involving more than 30,000 applicants.

The Vice-Chancellor also noted the university's growing international partnerships, including collaborations with the Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Psychological Association, Millennium Campus Network and the University of Illinois Chicago.

She said LASU athletes recorded their best-ever outing at the Nigerian Universities Games, winning 10 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals.

Professor Olatunji-Bello expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Governor and Visitor to LASU, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hon. Tolani Sule, the Governing Council led by Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN, members of Senate, staff, students, alumni and development partners for their contributions to the university's progress.

She also paid tribute to the media for its support during her five-year tenure, describing journalists as trusted partners who had helped project the achievements and positive image of LASU.

“As this Press Conference heralds the final Convocation Ceremonies of this administration,” the Vice-Chancellor said, she considered it both fitting and a privilege to express her gratitude for the cordial relationship, mutual respect and professional cooperation enjoyed with the media over the past five years.

Professor Olatunji-Bello urged members of the university community, parents, alumni, friends and the general public to join LASU in celebrating the graduating students and the institution's achievements.